Councillors call on HSE to restore diabetes clinics to Carrick-on-Suir Primary Care Centre

Carrick-on-Suir Municipal District’s councillors have resolved to write to the HSE calling for the restoration of Carrick-on-Suir Primary Care Centre’s diabetes clinics, which have been “temporarily” moved elsewhere while a review of the centre’s accommodation is underway.

The District’s five councillors unanimously passed a motion to issue this appeal to the HSE at their September meeting in Carrick-on-Suir Town Hall last Thursday.

READ ALSO: Community celebration planned to mark final Lingaun Valley Loop bus journey

The HSE has since the Council meeting confirmed that appointments for diabetes clinics that have been taking place in Carrick Primary Care Centre are being “temporarily facilitated” elsewhere while a “review of all medical accommodation and clinical space needs” at the centre is underway.

But it pointed out that monthly diabetes clinical nurse specialist clinics for “highly vulnerable patients” remain in place at Carrick Primary Care Centre.

The motion’s proposer Carrick-on-Suir Cllr Kieran Bourke told the Carrick MD meeting he was a Type 2 diabetic and received an an appointment a few weeks ago to attend a diabetes clinic in Cashel.

He had previously attended the diabetes clinics at Carrick Primary Care Centre and found it to be a wonderful facility.
When he phoned up to enquire why the clinic was in Cashel, he was informed they were no longer taking place in Carrick-on-Suir Primary Care Centre because there was no room there.

He couldn’t believe this explanation given the size of the centre that cost millions of euro to build with the former St Brigid’s District Hospital next door.

He recalled how when the district hospital was closed in 2020, the then Minister for Older Persons Mary Butler announced it would be turned into a community healthcare centre for chronic disease management and a “centre of excellence” for diabetes services in the South East.

Cllr Bourke said he was informed he could still attend a diabetes nurse at Carrick Primary Care Centre. He asked if the nurse could still have clinics at the Centre then why not the consultant doctor.

The Fianna Fáil councillor noted many people who attended the diabetes clinic at Carrick Primary Care Centre haven’t any means of transport to Cashel.

He regarded the removal of the clinic as another example of how Carrick-on-Suir is being “raped and pillaged” of public services and cited the reduction in resources at Carrick Garda Station and recent attempt to close Carrick Courthouse as other examples.

“It’s time people stood up and said enough is enough. Stop raping and pillaging the town of services,” he declared as he called on his fellow councillors to support him in demanding the restoration of the diabetes clinics.

Cllr Bourke’s motion was seconded by the district’s Cathaoirleach Cllr David Dunne of Sinn Féin, who is also from Carrick-on-Suir.

Cllr Dunne said he was glad Cllr Bourke highlighted this issue and described the loss of the diabetes clinics as another “attack” on services in Carrick-on-Suir with the people of the town the victims.

He, like Cllr Bourke, was incredulous at the explanation that Carrick Primary Care Centre was too full to accommodate the diabetes clinics.

“How can something that was half empty be full. If you go down there (to Carrick Primary Care Centre) there are plenty of rooms that are empty.

Cllr Dunne, who along with Cllr Bourke, was involved in the Save St Brigids Hospital campaign, expressed the hope that St Brigid’s would re-open as a district hospital sometime.

Cloneen Cllr Mark Fitzgerald of Fine Gael and Fethard based Labour Cllr Michael ‘Chicken’ Brennan also spoke at the meeting in support of the restoration of the diabetes clinics.

In a statement, the HSE said multidisciplinary diabetes clinics continue at Our Lady’s Hospital Cashel and St Vincent’s Health Centre in Tipperary Town.

“Unfortunately, whilst a review of all medical accommodation and clinical space needs is underway at Carrick-on-Suir Primary Care Centre, appointments for diabetes clinics that had been taking place in that venue are being temporarily facilitated elsewhere.

“The HSE apologises for any inconvenience caused, is liaising with clients in the meantime and is working towards a restoration of the clinics taking place in Carrick on Suir.

 “In the meantime, monthly diabetes clinical nurse specialist clinics for highly vulnerable patients remain in place at Carrick Primary Care Centre.

“In the South Tipperary area, diabetes podiatry clinics continue to operate from the Cahir Primary Care Centre and St. Vincent’s Health Centre in Tipperary Town.”

The HSE added that some diabetes group education sessions, including in the Carrick area, have recently been postponed, due to ensuring availability of qualified staff. A full programme of sessions will resume for 2026.

READ NEXT: Liam McCarthy Cup and Tipperary hurlers will be special guests at Rebel Hearts gig in Cashel